$GME CEO Ryan Cohen, OpenAI vs Elon Musk Continues, U.S. Gets Early Access to AI Models | Harley Finkelstein, Scott Strazik, Brian Elliott, Stephen Balaban & Michel Combes

May 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

This Tuesday episode from TBPN surveys fast-moving tech developments, blending AI courtroom drama and regulatory moves with corporate earnings, infrastructure scaling for AI power needs, new funding rounds, leadership shifts, and GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen's unsolicited $55 billion bid for eBay.

OpenAI-Elon Musk Trial Heats Up

The trial entered week two in Oakland, with Greg Brockman testifying on his $30 billion OpenAI stake and angel investments. Key moments included a 2017 email from Ilya Sutskever questioning Elon Musk's equity proposal amid Tesla Model 3 gifts, and Brockman's account of a tense 2017 meeting where Musk rejected an even equity split, stormed the table (nearly hitting Brockman), and asked when Brockman and Sutskever would depart OpenAI. Brockman portrayed Musk as lacking AI expertise, citing an incident where Musk berated a researcher into nearly quitting the field. Testimony referenced Brockman's "journal"—stream-of-consciousness notes, not a diary—causing him personal pain when entered as evidence. DOTA discussions arose multiple times, highlighting gamers' influence. Mike Isaac provided live coverage; hosts demoed a courtroom simulator app syncing with audio streams.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **Intro and Guest Teases** - Hosts preview Ryan Cohen on eBay bid, GE Vernova CEO on energy, and other guests amid tech news rundown
2 (01:06) **OpenAI-Elon Musk Trial Week 2** - Brockman grilled on finances, journal, and tense Musk standoff; Mike Isaac live tweets drama
3 (09:24) **US AI Early Access Deals** - Google, Microsoft, xAI agree to share pre-release models with Commerce Dept's CAIS; OpenAI/Anthropic joined in 2024
4 (21:07) **Courtroom Simulator Demo** - Hosts demo photorealistic OpenAI trial sim app with Mike Isaac avatar
5 (23:28) **Coinbase Layoffs** - 14% workforce cut amid crypto downturn and AI efficiency; leaders get 15+ reports
6 (28:41) **Meta Earnings Reaction** - Q1 ad growth strong but $125-145B CapEx worries investors; no clear AI monetization
7 (32:47) **Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) Interview** - Q1 GMV hits $100B quarter; big brands join, AI boosts entrepreneurs

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

(01:06) - OpenAI vs Elon Musk Continues
(09:19) - U.S. Gets Early Access to AI Models
(21:22) - Courtroom Simulator
(23:25) - Coinbase Cuts 14% of Staff
(28:37) - Meta's Cheap Stock May Be A Trap
(32:51) - Harley Finkelstein, born November 8, 1983, in Montreal, is a Canadian entrepreneur and the president of Shopify. In the conversation, he highlights Shopify's recent achievements, including consecutive quarters with over $100 billion in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) and a 34% increase in revenue to $3.2 billion. He also discusses the growing adoption of Shopify by major brands like LVMH and Lands' End, the impact of AI on entrepreneurship, and the expansion of agentic commerce through platforms like ChatGPT and Google.
(45:41) - Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Vernova, has over 20 years of experience in leadership, finance, and operations within General Electric, including roles as CEO of GE's Gas Power business and CFO of GE Aviation's Commercial Engine Operations. He discusses the significant role GE Vernova plays in global electricity generation, with its equipment contributing to about a third of the world's electricity outside China. Strazik emphasizes the company's commitment to meeting the growing global demand for electric power through its diverse portfolio, including gas turbines, nuclear power plants, wind turbines, and grid electrification technologies. He also highlights the importance of investing in automation and workforce development to scale production efficiently and address challenges in building new power plants, particularly in remote locations.
(01:12:59) - Brian Elliott, CEO of Blitzy, discusses the company's recent $200 million funding at a $1.4 billion valuation, highlighting their autonomous software development platform designed for complex enterprise use cases. He explains how Blitzy serves industries like banking and insurance by autonomously improving large codebases over extended periods, utilizing foundational models from OpenAI, Gemini, and Anthropic. Elliott emphasizes their direct go-to-market approach, demonstrating rapid codebase analysis and autonomous operation, setting a new benchmark for autonomy in software development.
(01:20:24) - Stephen Balaban, co-founder and former CEO of Lambda, has transitioned to the role of Chief Technology Officer, passing leadership to Michelle Combs, the former CEO of Sprint and SoftBank International. In their discussion, they emphasize a shared commitment to scaling the company's AI infrastructure by focusing on capital formation and operational expansion, aiming to provide the most efficient computing power for their customers. Balaban will continue to lead product vision and technology direction, while Combs will drive growth and operational excellence.
(01:29:17) - Ryan Cohen, CEO of GameStop and co-founder of Chewy, has made an unsolicited $56 billion bid to acquire eBay